Shot hole pole and coupling



Jan. 29, 1963 R. E. McMAcKlN ETAL.

sHT -xoLE'PoLE AND COUPLING Mockn Mockn f INVENTORS Robert E. Mc Edwin E. Mc

Filed Deo. 9, 1958 AAP/VIII ATTORNEY imno rmt

This invention relates to loading poles for lowering explosive charges into shot holes, in geophysical prospecting, and it concerns more particularly certain novel features of construction of loading pole sections and couplings therefor.

This application relates to subject matter described in our Patent No. 2,861,828, dated November 25, 1958.

In geophysical prospecting, shot holes are bored in the earth within a geologically promising area and charges of dynamite are lowered into the shot holes and subsequently detonated by electrical current supplied from the surface through wires lowered with the charges, the shock waves generated by the explosions being recorded on seismographic charts.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a loading pole formed of a plurality of sections each having couplings at its ends connecting it to adjoining sections, for use in lowering dynamite charges into shot holes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loading pole section which is characterized by its light weight and its rigidity, and which may be used with convenience and safety for lowering dynamite charges into shot holes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loading pole section made of laminated tubing comprising an inner tubing of light Weight metal having an outer tubing of plastic material bonded thereto, the pole section being characterized by its lightness and rigidity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loading pole section or" the type described having a coupling member attached to each of its ends.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loading pole comprising a plurality of sections which are connected by couplings each consisting of complementary members, one on each end of a pole section a-nd engagelable with corresponding members on the ends of adjoining pole sections only by rotation of a pole section 90 degrees to dispose its longitudinal axis at right angles to the axis of a companion pole section to properly align the coupling members for relative engagement and disengagement.

The invention wil be readily understood by referring to the following description `and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FEGURE l is a diagrammatic elevational View of a shot hole showing a string of loading pole sections coupled together according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal view, partly broken away, of one of the loading pole sections; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary View illustrating the manner in which the adjacent ends of two adjoining loading pole sections are connected.

Referring to FIGURE l of the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a shot hole having a loading pole 2 positioned therein. The loading pole 2 consists of a plurality of sections 3, which have complementary coupling members d attached to the ends thereof for use in connecting the sections. An electrical conduit for use in detonating the charge is indicated by the numeral l astanti `Patented `ian. 29, 1953 As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the lo-ading pole section 3 is made of laminated tubing comprising an inner tubing 6, which is formed of light weight metal such as aluminum, having an outer tubing '7, formed of plastic material, bonded thereto. The complementary coupling mem-bers 4 each consist of a hook S having a side opening 9. The arrangement is such that -the coupling members It are engageable with corresponding members 4 on the ends of adjoining pole sections 3 only by rotation of a pole section 3 ninety degrees to dispose its longitudinal axis at right angles to the axis of a companion pole section 3 to properly align the coupling members d for relative engagement and disengagement.

The hooks 8 advantageously may be made of metal, such as bronze. Each of the hooks 8 has a shank including an end portion 1d, which is made of laminated tubing comprising an inner tubing 11, formed of metal having the same characteristics as the metal of the hook d, having an outer tubing 12, formed of plastic material, bonded thereto.

The end portion 10 is received the section 3.

The shank of the hook 8 also includes a beaded intermediate portion 13, which is of larger diameter' tha-n the end portion 10. The intermediate portion 13 is received in one end of a collar 14, which is formed of plastic in the adjacent end of material. The opposite end of the collar 14 has an internal shoulder 15 formed therein :for engagement by the adjacent end of the section 3, to which it is connected.

The adjacent end of the ection 3 is pressed on the end portion 10, and the collar 14 is pressed on the intermediate portion 13 and the adjacent end of the section 3, to form a friction type joint whereby the coupling member 4 is attached to the section 3.

Sealing material having the same characteristics as the material of the collar 14 is applied to the joint between the collar 14 and the section 3, as at 16, to prevent leakage of fluids into the loading pole 2.

In the construction shown, the outer tubing 12, which is made of plastic material, surrounds the inner tubing 11 `and insulates it electrically from the adjacent end of the inner tubing 6. The tubing 11 and the tubing 6 are formed of unlike metals, and must be insulated electrically from each other to prevent decomposition due to galvanic action.

A fluid tight seal 17, which advantageously may be formed of rubber, is inserted in each end of the section 3 adjacent the shank of the hook 8.

The invention may be modied in various ways Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:

Il. In a shot hole loading pole section comprising an elongated tubular metal member, a tubular non-conductive sleeve embracing said metal member, a coupling member attached to each end of said tubular metal member and having a substantially circular head formed with an opening on one side, a shoulder formed on said head and a shank having a circumferentially beaded portion formed with said shoulder opposite said circular head and ber and said non-conductive sleeve, and a plastic collar embraced by the adjacent end of said tubular metal memttted on said beaded por-tion of said shank and engaging said shoulder and surrounding the adjacent ends of said tubular metal member and said non-conductive sleeve.

2. In a shot hole loading pole adapted to be connected in sections of equal length, a tubular metal body having a non-conductive sleeve embracing the same and coextensive therewith, a coupling member connected to each end of said body, each of said coupling members being formed of a metal dierent from that of said tubular body, each coupling member having a substantially circular head having an opening on one side thereof :formingl a hook, a shank formed on said head opposite said hook and embraced by thev adjacent end of said tubular body and said non-conductive sleeve, Vand aplastic collar surrounding said shank and the adjacentends of said body and said sleeve to seal the said tubular body. 15

UNITED STATES PATENTS Woodward Oct. 3l, Christian Feb. 9, leavons Aug, 30, Wells June l2, Hallberg Oct. 9, Ferguson July 2S, McGirr Oct. 6, Wester Apr. 9, McMackn et a1 Nov. 25,

FOREIGN PATENTS 4Canada Apr. 30, 

1. IN A SHOT HOLE LOADING POLE SECTION COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBULAR METAL MEMBER, A TUBULAR NON-CONDUCTIVE SLEEVE EMBRACING SAID METAL MEMBER, A COUPLING MEMBER ATTACHED TO EACH END OF SAID TUBULAR METAL MEMBER AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR HEAD FORMED WITH AN OPENING ON ONE SIDE, A SHOULDER FORMED ON SAID HEAD AND A SHANK HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY BEADED PORTION FORMED WITH SAID SHOULDER OPPOSITE SAID CIRCULAR HEAD AND BER AND SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE SLEEVE, AND A PLASTIC COLLAR EMBRACED BY THE ADJACENT END OF SAID TUBULAR METAL MEMFITTED ON SAID BEADED PORTION OF SAID SHANK AND ENGAGING SAID SHOULDER AND SURROUNDING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID TUBULAR METAL MEMBER AND SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE SLEEVE. 